Jonathan DuBose Jr. entered Gospel’s consciousness by way of his expert guitar playing with The Hawkins Family in the mid 80’s. Today he is on the Gospel musician frontline, one of the first that headliners turn to when in need for guitar flavor and support on their projects.

The third in Harborwood Records’ Quiet Times series, this is DuBose’s first solo effort. He chooses to interpret an eclectic set of material on a variety of guitars, ranging from traditional songs of the church to contemporary Gospel classics to an album-closing original.

Joining him on this minstrel ship are fellow Quiet Times contributor Ralph Lofton on keys, Terry Baker on drums and Simeon Baker on bass, who serve to enhance the ride. But on each song there’s no doubt that it’s DuBose in front.

Two medleys are included on this project, the first a two-song set that merges “Higher, Higher” with Dorothy Norwood’s rousing “Shake The Devil Off”. The second medley rolls along by doubling the song inclusions to four, beginning with “In the Name of Jesus” and ending with “When We All Get To Heaven”. Dubose arranges the lion’s share of material here, bringing a welcome touch of originality to the familiar.

Returning to roots, Dubose gets his fingers frantic on the Walter Hawkins classic, “Going Up Yonder”, settles meditatively into Dorsey’s “Precious Lord” and then displays some fine phrasing in conjunction with organ strains from Lofton on Andrae Crouch’s “Bless The Lord”.

Other takes are James Cleveland’s “One More Time”, another Crouch classic (“Oh, It Is Jesus”) and the traditional “What A Mighty God We Serve”. “Amazing Grace” is served up with DuBose drawling the strings in sweet bluegrass/ country style.

The song (and series namesake) “Quiet Times” is an original from Dubose and co-writer Lofton, concluding the project with a gentle quiet storm touch.